Springfield aldermen debate inspector general position

The majority of Springfield aldermen agree on the need for an inspector general, but they don't agree on how to implement it or what they're willing to pay.

By Jamie MunksStaff Writer

The majority of the Springfield City Council appears to agree on the need for an independent entity to look into potential wrongdoing in city government, but they're not all on the same page about how to implement it or what they're willing to pay.

At Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting, aldermen discussed a proposed ordinance that would see the city pay a Chicago-based firm up to $79,000 to provide recommendations about implementing an inspector general position.

Meanwhile, the controversial $3.75 million contract with NAPA Auto Parts for the parts room at the city's new, consolidated vehicle maintenance garage remains in limbo, because it didn't garner enough votes to be placed on the debate agenda for next week's council meeting.

Inspector general

Representatives from Hillard Heintze LLC are expected to make a presentation to the city council at next Tuesday's meeting about the proposed $79,000 contract to provide recommendations about implementing an inspector general position.

However, some city officials Tuesday voiced concern about the potential cost, and at least one alderman said she wanted to see the contract competitively bid.

“I don't have a problem with the idea of an inspector general. My concern is we're going all the way to Chicago to get somebody,” Ward 2 Ald. Gail Simpson said, adding she'd like to see the city put out a request for proposals for the contract to see if any local firms offer the service.

Others pointed out that an RFP isn't required under the city's professional services exemption.

Ward 6 Ald. Cory Jobe introduced the ordinance, which is being co-sponsored by Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards, Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner and Ward 10 Ald. Tim Griffin. Jobe was familiar with the Hillard Heintze firm through his work with the state, he said.

“We tried to do this five or six years ago,” Griffin said. “Cory (Jobe) came to me with this, this is a company that has some experience.”

The city previously had an inspector general position, but it sat vacant for years. Aldermen recently rekindled the idea, with some specifically citing last year's instance where Springfield police internal affairs files were destroyed, and the need for an “autonomous” entity who can look into instances of potential wrongdoing.

Mayor Mike Houston's administration during the budget process earlier this year set aside $50,000 to put toward having a local private investigator look into cases of potential wrongdoing in city government on a case-by-case basis, but aldermen opted instead to look into an inspector general position.

Houston on Tuesday said his primary concern is cost.

NAPA contract

With three aldermen absent, moving the NAPA contract to the debate agenda at next week's meeting needed six votes but only got five. Jobe then withdrew his motion, and the proposed ordinance to reaffirm the contract with NAPA remains in committee.

The city's contract with NAPA, which the council initially approved April 15, came under fire when the existence of a formal agreement between Illinois and a division of Minnesota state government, which was the basis for procuring the contract, was called into question.

City officials submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the state of Illinois regarding the intergovernmental agreement, and the FOIA response to the city was that state employees were unable to locate such an agreement. Several aldermen have since said they'd prefer to terminate the contract and put out a request for proposals, but that would further delay the opening of the maintenance garage.

Houston and Budget Director Bill McCarty have repeatedly voiced concern that prolonging the process is causing the city to miss out on thousands of dollars of savings every week that they'd see if the consolidated garage were open.

City officials are also concerned about straining staff, as several departments have cut positions through attrition in anticipation of the consolidation.

Houston said after Tuesday's meeting that in his discussions with NAPA representatives, they haven't indicated interest in mutually agreeing to terminate the contract. However, the city could end the contract regardless, because there is a termination clause that requires 90 days' notice.

And even if the council ultimately reaffirms the contract, the opening of the garage will likely be pushed back because a several-week lead time is needed for ordering supplies to set up the parts room.

The city hasn't yet paid NAPA anything through the contract, though it had been close to ordering the supplies when aldermen began raising issues about how the contract had been procured, McCarty said.

If the council decides to terminate the contract and go out for bid, the process could potentially take months. If the opening of the new garage is delayed into the winter, it could become a real issue, McCarty said.

“We're hoping somebody brings this out of committee so they discuss it next week,” McCarty said.